Farm-fence.



No. 694,084. Patented Fb. 25,1902.

' B. F. ZENT.

FARM FENCE. L umion filed July 13. 1 901.; (No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

o 7 \7 Wl/VVENTOH A A nomvar's No. 694,084.. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

' B. F. ZENT.

FARM FENCE.

(Application filed pu -1a, 1901.) (No Model!) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: INVEA/TOH THE "cums ETER5 60.. PHOYO-LUZHQ. WASHINGTON. g. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. ZENT, OF LAUD, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARION W.SWINEI-IEART.

FARM-FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,084, dated February25, 1902.

Application filed July 13, 1901- To all whom it mag/ concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. ZENT, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at Land,

in the county of Whitley, in the State of Indiana, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Farm-Fences; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in farm-fences.

The object of my presentinvention is to provide a cheap, substantial,andconvenient port able fence specially adapted for farm use as eitherinterior or exterior fences, made wholly of wire and non-corrosive sheetmetal, so constructed and arranged that any panel-section can readily beconverted into a farm-gate, either temporarily or permanently, and canconveniently be employed for the construction of a temporary stock penor yard, each panel being so constructed that the necessity for settingthe posts into the ground is obviated.

My improvement consists of a series of fence panels, preferably aboutone rod in length and arranged when in use in the form of a fence-wormand detachably connected by proper holding-bolts, each panel of properheight, consisting of two upright non-corrosive angle-iron posts ofgalvanized iron rigidly connected mid way of their ends by means of agalvanized angle sheet-iron bar riveted or bolted to said posts, thesaid panels being provided both above and below said bar with a suitablenumber of wire strands, whose ends are rigidly secured to said posts,which instead of being placed in the ground in the usual manner areplaced on a supporting metallic shoe rigidly bolted to said posts.

The novel feature of myinvention residesin the construction of thepanel-sections, whereby they are conveniently portable and any panel canreadily be converted into a farmgate.

Similar reference-numerals indicate like $eria1 No. 6 8,144. (No model.)

parts throughout the several views of the ac- 5o companying drawings, inwhich---- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fence, showing aplurality of panels in position for use, one of which is broken away inpart. manner of securing two adjacent panels when arranged at rightangles and also showing a modified form of panel in which twoconnecting-bars are employed. Fig. 3 is a detail of two adjacent posts,showing the shoe on which the posts rest and also showing the manner ofsecuring the adjacent ends of the connecting-bars and wires to theposts. Fig. 4 is a detail of the angle-iron post, showing the use ofeyebolts therein and to which one end of g a panel is pivotally securedwhen the same is used as a gate. Fig.5 is a detail of the shoe onwhich-the bottoms of the posts rest in use. Fig. 6 is a plan view ofFig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the upright posts 1, of properdimensions, are formed of one piece of sheet metal, preferablygalvanized iron, bent into the form of an angle-iron, whose sides may bearranged relative to each other at any desired angle, preferably at suchan angle that the adjacent sides of the adjacent posts will contactthroughout when the panels are arranged in a proper worm, as shown. Theposts 1 of each panel are rigidly connected in their upright position byan angle-bar 2, also of sheet metal, preferably gal vanized', whose endsare bolted or riveted to the said posts. These bars 2 are arrangedapproximately midway of the ends of the posts, as shown. Each panel isprovided both above-and below the said bar 2 with a series of horizontalwires 3, in parallel arrangement, whose ends are firmly secured to thepanel-posts by passing them through suitable openings in said posts orotherwise. The wires which are below the bar 2 are preferably arrangedcloser together for small stock in the usual manner, and the uppermostand lowermost wires may be barbed, if desired, to make the fence moresecure against 95 stock.

If desired, two angle-iron bars 2 in parallel relation may be employedto connect the Fig. 2 is a view showing the 55 I posts 1 of each panel,as shown in Fig. 2, in which case of course fewer wires 3 are required.I prefer, however, to employ but one bar 2, as it is more economical andit affords sufficient firmness and rigidity to the panel.

Each post is provided at each end with two holes 4 and 5, one in eachside of the post, the holes at being for the bolts by which the adjacentpanels are secured together and the holes 5 being for the bolts by whichthe adjacent panel of a fence at right angles thereto is secured, asshown in Fig. 2.

Each panel may be provided with a series of vertical stays of any commonor proper form, if desired, for the said wires 3.

The posts 1 are provided with a shoe 6, Fig. 5, of right-angular formand of non-corrosive sheet metal, having its upper end perforated toadmit and contain the same bolt that secures the lower ends of theadjacent posts together and which is mounted in the lower holes 4:.

Any panel of in y improved fence can readily be converted into aconvenient farm-gate by the use of eyebolts 7 instead of theholdingbolts 8 in that one of the adjacent posts 1 from which thegate-panel is swung. The

other end of the gate-panel is provided with any suitable latch, (notshown,) and the said detached panel makes a complete farm-gate. Myimprovement is thus cheap, simple, and

efficient and is equally well adapted for exterior or interiorfarm-fences.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by LettersPatent is- 1. In a worm fence, a fence-panel consisting of a pair ofangle-iron posts whose sides or flanges are in oblique relation to eachother, for the purpose specified, the said posts being rigidly connectedby an angle-iron bar, and wire strands secured to said posts above andbelow the said bar.

2. In a worm fence, a fence-panel consisting of two angle-iron postswhose sides or flanges are in oblique relation to each other, asdescribed, the said posts being rigidly connected by a metal bar, asshown, wire strands connecting said posts above and below the said bar,and post-supporting shoes secured to the bottom of said posts asdescribed.

3. In a fence-panel for worm fences, an angle-iron post whose edges orflanges are in oblique relation to each other as described, and providedwith a sheet-metal shoe adapted to receive and support the lower end ofthe post.

Signed by me at Fort Wayne, Allen county, State of Indiana, this 10thday of July, 1901.

BENJAMIN F. ZENT. Witnesses:

ADELAIDE KEARNS, ALICE KEARNS.

